This type of ‘peripheral’ machinery is a neglected area in the history of computing since without the ability to get data in and out of a computer there would be little point in doing the calculations. As the computing field matured, I/O devices grew more sophisticated and computer users began turning from the simple printing of reams of numbers on a line printer to the production of more human-friendly devices that could plot graphs, display pictures, and eventually even show animations.

I/O devices are primarily responsible for the transition of computers in the 1980s from ‘number crunchers’ to platforms for entertainment, visualization, and communication.